A discussion started by a Reddit user about the worst physical pain in the universe went viral, with hundreds joining the fray and emotions running high. What surprised a lot of people was that there was a consensus on the answer, which outraged some and left many feeling invalidated.
The response also underscored an inconvenient truth, that pain is not universal and everyone experiences it differently. Even if an online consensus emerges, that doesn’t negate the fact that pain is deeply personal, influenced by the bodies, thresholds, and experiences.
When people talk about pain, the answers are usually predictable. For men, it’s often a kick to the groin; for women, childbirth is usually mentioned. But this discussion took an unexpected turn.
According to many Reddit users, the worst physical pain imaginable wasn’t childbirth at all, but something far less talked about — IUD insertion.
NHS explains that an IUD (intrauterine device), also called a copper coil, is a small plastic T-shape placed inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It does not use hormones but helps stop pregnancy by releasing copper into the womb. Also, IUDs are about 99% effective but not suitable for every woman. After the device is removed, the fertility returns to previous levels right away.
Many of the women who got involved in the online discussion recounted their own IUD insertion experiences, describing intense pain and anger over how little information they were given in advance. Several reported that the process was understated by the doctors and nurses, and they were surprised at how much pain they felt.
Some even argued that stronger pain relief should be standard during the procedure in order to ease the pain and make it more bearable.
“I’ll preface this by saying that I’ve broken my femur, arm, and hand. I’ve broken a molar in half. I sliced my eyeball. I suffered a third degree burn on my hand. I’ve had two reconstructive surgeries on my shoulder. I had 3 holes drilled in my skull and underwent brain surgery,” one user wrote.
“Yes! I’ve broken my ankle to the point only tendons were holding it together, 2 C sections one after hours and hours of labouring, but that IUD is the worst! At one point he was twisting it to get better placement, I thought I was going to barf,” another woman added.
“Same for me. They didn’t give me any warning either, ‘just a pinch’ they said. Yeah, a pinch so bad I kicked the doctor in the face to get her to stop, threw up, and blacked out. I had to drive myself home afterwards, pulling over every couple of minutes to puke from the pain. That went on for days,” a third wrote.
Another comment said, “They’ve known for decades many women are under medicated when getting an IUD, and their complaints of pain are often dismissed. If you’re obese, or a smokier, or a minority, or whatever the trigger may be, you’ll tend to be treated even worse.
“This is why I constantly compliment and write thank-you notes to my good providers – mostly for treating me like a human and listening to my needs.”
What is the worst physical pain you have ever experienced?
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